Power supply: BJP blames UPA, Congress walks out

Bangalore: Even as Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje accused the Centre of being biased towards private power companies in allotting coal blocks, Opposition Congress members in the Legislative Council walked out of the House dissatisfied with her reply.

"The Centre is not at all cooperating with the state in ensuring regular coal supply. Unfortunately, the Centre is biased towards private power companies in allotting coal blocks for excavation and supply. We are making the best out of a bad situation," Shobha replied to a query by Congress MLC Dayanand here on Tuesday. She said the government had led many delegations to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and the Union power minister to urge them to ensure regular coal supply but the Centre has not been cooperative to them."I have also repeatedly written to the Union power minister and our officers are in regular touch with the Centre. I appeal to our Congress friends to mount pressure on their party-led UPA government for coal for the state," she said.Intervening, Higher Education Minister Dr VS Acharya said, "Thermal plants are effective till we get nuclear and gas-based power plants. Wind and solar power plants are not dependable sources of energy either."